“Steven Universe: The Return” Available on DVD June 7

It is a great time to be a Steven Universe fan, with new episodes currently airing as part of the 4-week “In Too Deep” event, more on the horizon as a part of the “Summer of Steven,” and now, a new DVD set from Cartoon Network called “Steven Universe: The Return” featuring twelve of the best episodes from season 1!

“Steven Universe: The Return” will be available starting June 7, 2016 and will retail for $14.97. These episodes were selected personally by series creator Rebecca Sugar. They are:

This is an excellent episode list, full of character development, heavy plot, and some truly incredible animation. Beginning and ending with the season 1 two-part episodes (“Mirror Gem” / “Ocean Gem” and “The Return” / “Jail Break”) highlights the tone-shift from the first part of the first season “monster a week” format to the second part’s expanded intergalactic implications of the Steven Universe canon. This list also includes an episode for every major current character of Steven Universe, even Jasper. I might still be a tiny bit bitter about her fate in last week’s season 3 opener, “Super Watermelon Island.”

“Steven Universe: The Return” rounds out what has been a landmark year for Steven Universe. It was #1 in its time slot in the Kids 6-11, Kids 9-14, Boys 6-11 and Boys 9-14 demographics. The mobile role playing game Attack the Light was also widely successful, proving Steven Universe has multiplatform appeal. The franchise was also the most reblogged animated series on Tumblr for 2015.

K-K Bracken grew up overseas and in the Washington, DC area, went to the Ohio State University to get her BA in English, and has been in Columbus, Ohio ever since. She is working on her first novel and co-wrote the book for “Edit:Undo,” a musical featured at the Kennedy Center.